Wind-power engine



April 21;, 1925.

1,534,799 H. MAINE WIND POWER ENGINE Filed oci. 24, 192.5 2 sheets-sheet 1 TTORN EY.

April 21, 1925 1,534,799 H. MAINE WIND POWER ENGINE Filed Oct. 24, M325 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR:

TTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 21, 1925. i. l

U'Nrren .STATES PATENT orrlce. iu'iit narnia, for mmaiimrlrs, iiivnraiiis. 'y Awilde-'POWER 'nner-Nn'. fnppnemn inea 'obtener 24, i923. serial ne. 4670,420. vToall..whom it may/concern: `V t0 *beA capable, of operation mini- Be yit known thatl, HIRAM.; MA1NE,. a mum-frictionalresistanceand nnder various 55 citizen ofthe UnitedStates, resid-nig at lnatmospheric conditions including Snow dianapolis, in the county `of Marion and Storms,:and.notbeliable to become .damaged State of Indiana, -hae invented Aanew andy .or deranged in operation-but which shall useful WindffPower. Engine, of which :the be Vofbroztd expanse and 'eiiicientand strucfollowing is a specification, reference being tjura'lly adapted to take :advantage of strdng 60 had to the accompanying drawings and to air .currents which ymay occur at the ground the letters and figures .of reference marked surface, or in proximity thereto when higher i0 thereo'n, d 4 air .currents may be relatively rare .and This invention re'latesto "a type fwindweak, which wind-.power engi'ne 'shall be power engine that is structurally designed vstrong and powerful, and "durable 'and ec'o- 65 -for very high power duty, for industrial -nomical in use.

.purposes generally. and it has reference With the above-mentioned andotlrer obmore particularly tofa wind-,power engine jects in View, theV invention donsists in a of the class that has a wind-wheel arranged 'novei mammoth wind-power engine having to rotate on 'a horizontal faxisfand controlled controlling 'means of novel construction, in- 70 to limit "the speed to 'a qsafe degree during cludiiig novel massive engine structure 'and violent wind storms, being "ofthe type'that gearing for 'the transmission of motion and has 'casing for 'co`trolling air currents power frmthe engine; and, the invention and 'guiding the currents to the wind-wheel, Yconsists further. in novel means for 'directing the casing being automatically adjusted by air currents to a wind-wheel t0A act thereon 75 means'of a tail vane. Y iimnedi'ately following vthe action of direct An Vobject'of the invention is to provide a' air currents',` the invention consisting .also wind-'power enginefstructu-re that may be of in the novel p'arts and in the combinations mammoth size so a's to 'develop great `power and arrangements of parts as hereinafter for varius useful purposes, as for Voperatparticularly described and further defined in S0 ing 'electric generators, 'more particularly the claims appendedhereto'. f when it is desired to store electric energy Referring tothe drawings-Figure i is as a reserve power to used during periods a top pla-n of wind-power engine constructof inactivity lof the wind-power "engine due ed 4substantially iii accordance with the into lack of Wind force. vention; Fig. -2 is *anf levation of the `Wind- 85 Another object isk to provide an improved power engine; Fig. 3 is a `sectional elevawin'd-power engine which shall be so contion', approximately central, 'of the windkstruct'ed as to control air 'currents for itsy power engine; Fig. lis a fragmentary. horioperations in a highly eficient mannen and zontal section of the wind-.power engineon articularly so that pressure 'of air currents a plane above -the wind-wheel thereof; Fig. 90 .shall act on the maximum .portion 'of the 5 is a fragmentary vertical central Asection wind-wheel, and especially at and near "the at right angles to that 'of Fig. 3; 'on ail en- 40 ends of wind-wheel wines and'on the maxil'arged scale; Fig. .6 isv .an end vie'wJof. the mum number of wing's'o a windLwheel. wind-wheel as preferably constructed; Fig.

yA further object is to provide a high 7vr is an enlarged detail' view of a ysimple 95 power engine' and air current 'conductors form -of governor appearing onasmalier and controllers of such construction as niost y scale in other figures; and, Fig. 8 ,is a ver` eifectively to utilizev zit-mbspheric airy from *tical sectional detail view f one of the apwide area and on the Igreatest available porpliances which preferably comprises emauxtion Iof a wind-wheel, especially when the iliarypart of the engineto vdirect Asulppjlenatural .air currents are of low velocity, to mental air currents to the wind-Wheel in al enable the'wind-wheel toperfoim its funcnovel manner. Y -.;5. 50 tion with variable air currents. l Similarreference c aracters in the various A still further object is to provide an iinfigures of the drawings indicate correspond- V'proved .windpower engine ofthe mammoth ing .elements or feutuie of construction 105 type', which shall be of 'suchl construction asy herein referred tofi'n detail.

In the drawings the "numeral l indicates the ground level and 2 the bottom of an excavation in the ground in which a base 3 is erected, being preferably monolithic concrete or masonry work. The base is conical externally and has a pit therein which has a vertical annular wall 4 and a bottom 5, the bottom being provided with a sub-pit 6 centrally arranged and provided with a tubular metallic wall lining 7. A suitable for supporting the necessary machinery and preferablycomprisves an bearing 8 arranged in the subj supportingr a center shaft comprising a large base portion 9 having a flange 10 directly arringed on the bearing, there being bearing rollers 11 arranged about the shaft to operate against the lining 7. The center shaft has a stem 12 that is diametrically smaller than the base portion 9 and extends upward from the top of the latter. The bottom 5 of the pit has an annular track bed 13 thereon which supports a circular track rail 14 which is concentric to the center shaft. The top of the 'main t The lower end of the hub has a evel gear wheel 18 thereon facing downwardly and the upper end of the hub has an upwardly facing bevel gear wheel 19 thereon. Preferably the center s haft comprises a hollow external opposite sides of the center shaft. and a the plate and extending downward over the base and towards the ground, two cheer( plates 37 and 38 connected to the walls 31 and 32 respectively, and extending there from divergently and downward to the n,Y clined plate to which they are connected, and top plates 39 and tops of the cheek plates and also the side walls, extending to the center post, a mouth and throat thus being provided as a main air-inlet to the casing.

In accordance with the preferred construction a divided wind-wheel or pair of windwheels having an axial shaft in common preferably is designed since the shaft may have great length requiring support intermediately of its ends, and accordingly t-he center post is of suitable height and provided with journal boxes 41 and 42, the posts 29 and 30 being provided with journal boxes 43 and 44, and a shaft 45 is rotatably supported in all the `journal boxes` the shaft extending horizontally through the center shaft. Preferably each journal box has anti-friction bearing devices 46 therein. Two hubs 47 and 48 are secured to the shaft on opposite sides respectively of the thereto, the companion wings or blades 49 each wing or blade has 50 extending over so as the rear of the wing, a wing section 5l heilig connected to the end of the curved portion and extending inwardly So as to tend to retain air currents in contact with the ends of the wings. One of the wheel hubs has a gear wheel 52 fixed thereto that meshes with the pinion 24, being a part of the transmission gearing.

For holding the mouth of the casing to the wind a suitable tail vane is secured to the top of the casing and preferably is composed of two parts 53 and 54 of suitable length hub having similar thereon. Preferably a curved end portion to form a pocket at obviously proper braces being omitted from the drawings.

The transmission gearing, as shown for descriptive purposes further comprises a shaft 55 horizontally arranged and rotatably supported upon the bottom 5 of the pit in the base and has a bevel pinion 56 fixed thereto in mesh with the gear wheel 18. the shaft extending under the rail 14 and through the wall of the pit, and is otherwise suitably supported and has a pinion or gear wheel 57 fixed thereto that meshes with a gear wheel 58 fixed on a shaft 59 rotatably arranged adjacent to the base, and provided with a driving wheel 60 of such type as may be desired.

In order that the engine may develop the maximum power a supplemental air-inlet is a circular neCkQnnda-Ii inclinetlftople tending 'from the neckl downwardly atothe back plate y33 to direct aircurrents downi Ward-ly on the rear-ward portion eifthewlnd- Wheelbeyond the eifectiife force oit'currents i9 enteringthe -monthfofethe casing above the 115 comprises a hello-w friction bearing dev'icesjSbetween the head' Z5 69 therein arranged axis of rotation of the Wind-Wheel'. Prefer-` ably the inclined portiont 'has a brace 64 connected thereto andfto-the outerjp-art 2001i ythe center post. )Aheaderiis provided which y cylindrical portion 65 that is :loosely tconnected with the neck qv62 and has a =top (56 thereon that is supported- .upona stein partf67 `that is-Xed toitheonter part-20 ofthe center shaft, there 'being antiand the kstern pia-rt,A so that Athe casing may ifreely rotate While 4the header remains sta-v tionary. The 'header extends EVhigher 'than the top v)ottlietail Vane and may have gui des vt0 co-ope'rate with the ste1npart67 to: guide the header Without deV pending'u'ponfthe yneelrtZ for guidance. The "header is free from 'connection with y,the ltai-l rvane. A suitable nuniber of conduits T0, 70",

areconnectedto the header, the conduits ex- ?"5 duibhevng e Standtending outwardlbeyond the tail yane'and'the casing mouth and may extend downward and under ground anyy desired distance and thence upward above-the ground, each cony 'pipe 'Tl'swiyeled thereto by Suitable meansrbeng Preferably PrO vided with a-llnlge 7 2 rotatably supported' M9011 @base 13 arranged ron the ground i surace and V connected With'thje conduit, the y er 2nd 0f thewstand-pipe hay'inga hori-V zontal throat portion or elbow 74 thereon to `which Vthe smaller end lof a "funnel-like mouthpiece .'is connec ed, each stand-pipe being provided with a tailtyane `to guide and hold the inonth piece tothe vWind.

y To 4 guard Aagainst excessive speedof the Wind-Wheel'rn a `violent storm a suitable regulator 1sprovrdedwhich comprises ajshatt Tf horizontally .Supported thek cheek p'lates 137 and 38 ,oftheicasinffjmoutlu .a Shutter-78 neoted with kthe arrns being secured-to `the shaft wlithinthe mouth, the shaft extending through one cheelrrplate `and haring lan anni 79 fixed thereto. A goverllor Stand 80 SXQ also through the vcheek pilate and has annarin ffixed thereto adjacent 'to thestajnd4` and `anotherarrn 83 'fixedtothe outer end t`hereof, and a connecting' vrod 84 is pivotally con- Y 9 andSS? for control l ,of lthe shutter. The arm 82 is suitably conl ineeted with asleeve 85 on a stem 86that is rotatably*supported lbythe stand 80 and has rgovernor varms 87 l,pivoted jtheretdlinks 88 xkbeing connected with thearms andthe sleeve'.

thereon that meshes .cheek plates37 and "38 -tlraw v\tliernouth or partially close itas upon fthe, lip pl ate 35 l and supports a rockshaft 81 that extends The stern has a bevel gear wheel S9 fixed with a bevel' Wheel 90 fixed on the shaft 91 ithat is `supported by the stand-tl1esh-at haring awheely or pulley xedthereon toble -suitablydriven by the "Wind-wheel, preferably by 'meansfot a belt "93 connected with the ApullcyaI-nl with a pulley'94 fixed on a's'lreft'ti'otatably support- -ed-upon thelarrn 25 ofthe Windwheel `traine Eand 'Shaving a gear wheel for Kpinion *95 'fixed thereto Lin mesh -with the vgear wheel The governor and connections tor opera-ting it are:tolbe"constructedland adjusted so that in caseA the Wind-Wheel is driven at undesirlably-highspeed,the governor arms will be 'fior-eed apartiand cause the regulatorshutter to `vpartially Aclose the fniou'L-h of Vthe casing, thus kpreventingthe full for-ee ot Wind froin --en`t`eringthe casi-ng to .the 'wind-wheel, `the when 4the Avi-nd t the inlet mouththereo` to the Wind. thebase 3 preventing, air currents from passing to l the lowerportionofgthe Wind-Wheel. Strong groundgcurrents 1are directed by the mouth "plate L36 upward into the casingg lWhile ythe in "horizontal currents and 'tend `to cause compression of `-the`air iin the throat-and increase of yelocity and force as the 'air Vstrikes the wing vsections 51 as they pass above the front plate 3a, Regardless ofthe direction of the air "currents atmospheric airenters one 4or more of Athe mouth vpieces "75 and passes ltlrrough the conduit "to supplement lthe force of the "direct ain currents, the auxiliary currents being discharged against the Wings yas they 'pass from beneaththe top plate 39 of the easing. e rEhe spent air passes out of the flower portionot the casing into the-pit into which t-he air can expand` parsing thence over the top of thegpitwvall. some ot the air being perniittedto imdcr'the liacl; lplate labovethe top-ofthe pit wall. 'Normally "the regulator shutter 78 rests horizontally Without materially obstructing the Aair cur rents passing Iintothe cya-sing. `r`llhe shutter VAis'automat-ioally adjusted Variably lto close a'result of the loperation of 'the `Agovernor at Lhigh speed in case the Wind-Wheel is -driven ,at dangerously hioh speedfby aistorrn Wind. Then `the'Winfds are lnild the engine may still he erratd. Wind-wheel "1s acted upon sired machinery, an electric generator feeding a storage battery being suitably driven by the wind-power engine.

What is claimed as new is l. A wind-power engine including a windwheel and a horizontal axial shaft therefor, a casing having a frame rotatably supporting the axial shaft provided with a vertical axis of rotation, a tail vane on the casing, and an annular wall extending about the casing and frame below the axis of the shaft concentric to the vertical axis of rotation, the outer face of the wall being Conically inclined.

2. A wind-power engine including a rotatable frame, a casing on the frame having an apertured top, theI top having a header thereon to direct air currents through the aperture in the top, a tail vane on the frame, a mouth structure connected with the casing, a wind-wheel having a horizontal axial shaft rotatably supported by the frame, and a plurality of conduits for air extending over the frame and connected with the header.

3. A wind-power engine including a cash ing having a vertical axis of rotation and a main air-inlet in one side and air-outlet opening in the opposite side thereof, the casing having also a supplemental air-inlet in the top thereof provided with an air-conducting header adjacent to the side having the outlet opening, a tail vane secured to the casing adjacent to the header, and a wind-ivheel having a horizontal axis of rotation in the casing and wings movable past the main air-inlet and thence past the supplemental air-inlet and also past the air outlet opening.

4. A wind-power engine having a casing provided with a main air-inlet and a supplemental air-inlet, and a plurality of conduits leading to the supplemental air-inlet and provided with large mouth-pieces that are swiveled on the inlet ends of the conduits respectively, each mouth-piece having a tail vane thereon, a tail vane fixed to the casing, and a wind-wheel rotatable in the casing opposite to the air inlets.

5. A wind-power engine including a permanent base having an annular wall thereon, the wall having a conical outer face, a casing rotatable on the base centrally of the wall and extending higher than the Wall, the casing having an inlet mouth structure carried above the wall on one side of its upper portion and an outlet opening in the lower portion of the opposite side thereof, a tail vane secured to the casing above the outlet opening therein, and a wind-wheel rotatably mounted in the casing.

6, A wind-power engine including a massive base having a` pit therein and a conical external face, a frame rotatably supported in the pit with a vertical axis of rotation and having a casing thereon extending upward beyond the top of the pit, the upper portion of the casing having an inlet mouth structure on its front above the top of the pit, the structure extending out beyond the base, a tail vane fixed to the back portion of the frame and the casing, and two windwheels having a single axial shaft rotatably supported horizontally by the frame on a plane approximately at the top of the base.

7. A wind-power engine including a base having an annular side Wall, avercical oenter shaft rotatably supported in the base and having a frame ixel thereto, the frame being provided with a casing fixed thereon and having an inlet-mouth and an outlet opening in opposite sides respectively thereof, the inlet-mouth being higher than the top of the side Wall, a tail vane secured to thc casing above the outlet opening, and two wind-wheels in the casing on opposite sides respectively of the center shaft and provided with an axial shaft common to both and journaled in the center shaft and the frame.

8. A wind-power engine including a frame having a vertical axis ofrotation, a casing on the frame having a mouth structure on one side and an outlet in the opposite side, thereof, a circular wall extending under the mouth structure and about the frame, a wind-wheel having an axial shaft rotatably supported horizontally by the frame within the casing, a speed-governor bodily supported by the mouth structure and having gearing connection with the wind-wheel, a shutter niovably sup-ported in the mouth' structiue and having connection with the speed governor to be operated thereby, and a tail vane on the casing opposite to the mouth structure.

9. A wind-power engine including a vertical rotary center shaft and a frame fixed thereto, two separate wind-wheels on opposite sides of the center shaft and having a single horizontal axial shaft extending through the center shaft, the axial shaft having rotary support in the center shaft and in the frame, a casing on the frame having an inlet mouth structure on one side and an outlet in the opposite side thereof, a tail vane on the casing above the outlet therein, an annular wall extending under the mouth structure and about the frame and up approximately as high as the line of the axial shaft, and gearing having connection with the axial shaft to transmit motiop1 therefrom and outward beyond the wa 10. In a wind-power engine, the combina-- tion, with a permanently vertical center shaft, a frame connected with and rotatable about the shaft, and a permanent circular wall extending about the frame, of a wind.-

v wheelrotatablysnppprtedby the axis, off the wind-wh f forward portion of apprgximately 'on ftheg p thei walLMQand a Ica-sing, on a inoutlifstrn-turje on y p tending outward; abovel 'they top and' ,par-

vtiallydownvv dl" outside olfgfthe'wall'.Y L

colnbina-;y 'ertellit s supported by.l the, base, y and.,I a circular. A

11'.l In ay windepowerfengiiie?,

extending; "coneentricaII-yv` abouti." the@ center' shaft, of'aA,circular'tracku securedon' the base c(ingenti-ic to` the. center shaft,fa, frame,

rotatably f guided the' A'center shaft" "and the track' railandiliaving a fiared inlet mouth structure thereon extending outward above the top of the wall, and two windwheels rotatably supported-by the center shaft and the frame approximately on the plane of the top of the wall.

12. In a wind-power engine, the combination of a wind-wheel having a horizontal axis .of rotation and a casing therefor having a vertical axis of rotation, a flared mouth structure connected to the front of the casing to direct air currents to the upper the wind-wheel, and means connected with the rearward portion of the top of the casing to gather atmospheric air from different points and direct air currents downwardly tothe upper rearward portion of the wind-wheel.

13. In a Wind-power engine, the combination, with a frame having a vertical axis of rotation, of a wind-wheel rotatably supported with its axis horizontal in the frame, a circular wall extending about the frame, a casing fixed on the frame and having an air-inlet mouth in one side thereof and alsoa supplementary air-inlet in the top of the casing adjacent to the top of the-oppositev side thereof, and means to conduct air currents from different distant points to the supplementary air-inlet.

14. In a wind-power engine, the combination, with a base and a circular wall, of a center shaft vertically supported by the base centrally of the wall, a frame rotatable about the center shaft and having a casing thereon provided with an inlet mouth structure on one side thereof extending outward over the wall, the mouth structure having a bottom extending downwardly at an inclination outside the wall, and a wind-wheel rotatably supported by the frame appro-ximately on the plane of the top of the wall.

15. In a wind-power engine, the combination, with a base, ay frame rotatably mounted on the base with a vertical axis, and a wind-wheel having an axial shaft horizontally supported rotatably by the frame, of a circular wall on the base extending about the frame and upward approximately toV the line of the axial shaft, the wall having an inclined outer face, and a air-inlet opening in the upper portion thereof, and two separate series of means for gathering air and directing air currents into the air-inlet openings respectively.

17. In a wind-power engine, the combination, with a'casing having an air-inlet mouth in the upper portion of one side thereof and an outlet opening in the lower portion of the opposite side thereof, of means rotatably to support the casing with a vertical axis of rotation, and a windwheel having an axial shaft horizontall supported rotatably dy wheel comprising wings fixed to the shaft and having each a curved portion adjacent to its end presenting a concave face to air entering said mouth in operation, the end of the curved portion having a wing section fixed thereon and extending inwardly towards the base portion of the next adjacent one of the wings.

18. In a wind-power engine, the combination, with a casing having in its front side and an outlet opening in its opposite rearward side, and means to rot'atably support the casing with a vertical axis of rotation, of a wind-wheel comprising wings having an axial shaft horizontally supported rotatably in the casing, a cap fixed to the top of the casing and adapted to direct air currents downward towards the rearward portion of the wind-wheel and the interior. of the casing, a stationary header loosely connected with the cap and permitting rotary movement of the casing and the cap, and a plurality of conduits for air connected to the header and extending away distantly therefrom, the end of each conduit having an intake mouth-piece swiveled thereto, the mouth-piece being provided with aguiding tail vane.

19. In a wind-power engine, the combination of a base and a circular wall thereon, the middle portion of the base having a pit therein, a center shaft rotatably supported vertically in said pit, a circular track rail supported by the base concentrically to the center shaft, a frame secured to the center shaft and provided with wheels supported upon the track rail, a casing secured in the casing, thewin v an air-inlet mouth to the frame and having an inlet and an the pinion meshing with said gear wheel, *15 outlet for air, a pair of wind-wheels hava hub rotatably mounted on the center shaft ing a single axial shaft extending horizonand having an upward-facing bevel pinion tally through the center shaft, the windin mesh with said bevel gear wheel, the wheels comprising wings on opposite sides lower end of thehub having a downwardof the center shaft, bearings supported by facing bevel gear Wheel thereon, a trans- 2o the center shaft and rotatably supporting mission shaft rotatably supported by the the axial shaft, bearings supported by oppobase and extending under said track rail site portions of the frame and rotatably and through said wall, and a bevel pinion supporting the opposite ends respectively of Secured to the transmission shaft in mesh the axial shaft, a gear wheel fixed t0 the with saiddownward-facing gear wheel- 25 axial shaftya bevel gear Wheel and a spur In testlmony Whe'eoa I affix my Slgnl tooth pinion connected together and rotatature 0n the 15th day 0f October: 1923- bly mounted on one side of the center shaft, HIRAM MAINE. 

